Lightning and Vanille: (Aka Lanille). Their love story. Of course, I don't own any of the characters and this is purely a fan fiction. Enjoy! The third chapter of my story. This one is kind of dramatic. Rated M for some mild language and sexual dreams... Oh yeah! For some reason it won't put a border line when I switch from character to character so sorry if it gets a bit confusing for you. I don't really know how to fix it. *Clicks "Insert Horizontal Ruler" button* Nevermind... -_-


Chapter III: A Medic's Touch

Vanille paced around the group watching the ground. After a long day of traveling the group decided to camp in a cave near the lake. Everyone was deathly quiet tonight. Lightning had not returned from her scouting like she said she would. Fang and Hope set out to look for her for the third time when the group settled in the cave. Considering the type of creatures lurking around Gran Pulse, Lightning would have a rough time getting along by herself. Especially without a Medic or a good supply of Potions and Elixirs. Pulse was about survival, only the strongest survive and the weaker hunt in packs to make up for their lack of strength. The soldier was strong, but not invincible.

Serah, please protect her for me. Vanille closed her eyes wringing her hands.

"She'll be okay," Snow came up behind her resting his hand on her back comfortingly.

"Really?" Vanille looked at him and his smiling face.

"Are you kidding? This is the great Lightning Farron we're talking about! A mighty soldier of the Guardian Corps! She may be stubborn but she isn't stupid." Snow held his fist in the air trying to look powerful.

The redhead giggled and smiled broadly. He was right. Lightning had been trained for things like this. Well, maybe not exactly like this but still. She knew when a fight was too much and how to sneak away from those fights. Serah would be watching over her anyways. And Snow still had the tear so if something happened Serah could tell Snow about it.

"We're back!" Hope called into the cave. He came in behind Fang.

"She's one hell of a hide-and-seeker I'll give her that much." Fang grumbled lying down in front of the fire.

The girl's stomach sank as Fang said those words. Light was gone.

Snow was the first to fall asleep. Sazh followed about an hour later. Vanille settled into her cloth bed letting her pigtails loose. Maybe sleeping could help her pretend this wasn't happening. Unfortunately, dreaming only made reality worse. Memories of that night replayed. The way she kissed Lightning and traced her fingers over the woman's brand. That pale pink hair highlighting her pale features. Her smell; it smelled of lavender and honeydew. She missed the way their glistening bodies met when they pressed together. Hell, she missed everything about Lightning.

Vanille checked to see where Fang was. The older Pulsian was examining the back of the cave carving shapes into the stone with her lance. Vanille slowly stood up and quietly walked to the mouth of the cave checking periodically to see if Fang had noticed. She managed to escape without being noticed. It was surprisingly bright out with a small slip of moon. The clouds intensified the moon's light as well as the stars. Vanille could make out the silhouette of a chocobo taking a midnight drink from the lake.

A sudden flood of tears filled the Pulsian's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lightning. It's all my fault. I knew I shouldn't have kissed you nor did those things." Vanille held her face in her hands. "But I can't hide it anymore! The way your face is filled with fearlessness in a fight. The way you're so agile when you move with your blade. I can't help it! Your voice is so soft and calm all of the time. It's comforting. But now you're gone…and it's all my fault… I'm so sorry!"

Vanille dropped to her knees sobbing heavily and holding her stomach. She began hiccupping from sobbing so hard. It made her stomach hurt and twist.

"Please come back, Lightning. Please come back. I won't do it again!"


Fang heard Vanille get up and make her way to the entrance of the cave but didn't bother to turn around. She carved Pulse tribal tattoos into the stone with her red lance. This was the first time she had stood guard in a while. Lightning usually forced everyone into letting her stay up yet another night without sleeping. Now that she was roaming Pulse alone she was probably still not sleeping. She and Fang had had their share of fights but Fang still cared whether the stubborn ass of a woman was alive or dead. Lightning was one of the best fighters in the group and could call a strategy better than any of them against enemies familiar or strange.

A noise from the front of the cave drew Fang's attention. As she drew closer she realized the noise was Vanille's sobbing. Quietly she hid against the cave wall as Vanille confessed her love for Lightning in great detail. Realization hit Fang like a rock. It wasn't just some fling like she had thought at first. She always knew Vanille had a heart for women instead of men but she never thought the woman she would fall for would be Lightning. A stubborn, pink-headed soldier from Cocoon's Guardian Corps and current L'Cie. The girl was genuinely in love with Lightning Farron even if Light wasn't ready to love her yet, or admit her feelings if she did.

Fang watched Vanille drop to her knees hanging her head and hiccupping.

"I did this!" Vanille shouted. "I made her run away." Hiccup. "I scared her off." Hiccup. "And now she hates me, I know it. And so does Fang. She yelled at me," hiccup, "a-and said I was stupid for loving Lightning. B-But I can't help it." Hiccup.

Vanille dropped her head to touch the ground rocking back and forth crying hysterically.

I could never hate you, Vanille. Fang thought nearly on the verge of tears herself. I was just trying to protect you, like I've always done. I didn't want to see you hurt. Good one, dumbass, I'm the one that's hurting you. You didn't make Lightning run away, sweetheart, I did. She was just doing what she thought was best for you. She knew I didn't like her and knew I would do anything to tear you two apart from loving one another. And I would have. But now, Sunshine, seeing you like this, I realize you two being together will make you stronger. I'll bring her back for you, don't you worry, Vanille. Just please…don't forget me….

She waited until Vanille cried herself to sleep and carried her back to her bed. That night she thought about what to tell Lightning if they found her. No, not if, when they found her.


Vanille didn't really know what to make of what was happening. They had all been walking for hours on end with no true destination in mind or if they were heading in the right direction. The lot of them was just enjoying the fresh air and Fal'Cie-less sight. Vanille had taken place next to Fang as usual and had been staring at the blackening sky full of rain clouds. It was just the afternoon but looked like night time. A loud roar stopped all of them in their tracks. It came from the forest. Vanille knew they were all thinking of the same thing.

Lightning…

The Soldier had not come back from scouting like she said she was going to. They all knew she preferred to travel alone. She always kept to herself, staying away from everyone when they camped, staying up while everyone else slept, and barely saying a word. That was just Lightning. A lone wolf as everyone considered her. But even a Soldier can't survive on their own for very long. Lightning had weaknesses whether she was willing to accept them or not. They all did, but together they could make up for those weaknesses.

Vanille stared wide-eyed as the trees fell like dominos ahead of them. A loud, rhythmic thumping could be heard as well. Then the trees stopped falling. Screeching broke through all sound barriers and seemed to shatter reality itself like a giant mirror. Fang was the first to race forward, lance in hand. Vanille snatched Hope by the arm waking him from his dumbstruck stupor.

"Come on, Hope! Lightning's in trouble!" She yelled as he stumbled trying to keep up with her pace.

Hold tight, Light, we're coming, Vanille thought praying Lightning could hold herself until they got to her.

Terror struck Vanille as she witnessed the most horrid thing in the world. Her heart stopped as Lightning was tossed from somewhere in the forest and crashed into a giant boulder structure. Her body lay motionless and the giant beast charged out from the trees at her.

"No…" Vanille squeaked. This time it was Hope's turn to drag her.

Fang and the others charged the beast surrounding it from all sides. Vanille and Hope settled themselves on either side of Lightning's limp body. It looked as if she was kneeling on the rock with her upper body on top and her lower half sort of fallen to the ground. Vanille noticed the gross mixture of stomach contents and blood dripping off the side of the boulder. She tried not to cry seeing her lover in such a dire situation.

"Lightning, you're going to be okay." Vanille took out a piece of loose cloth from her pack and soaked it with water from her canteen. The cuts were a bit deeper than scratches but the skin wasn't separated enough for stitches. The girl dabbed blood and dirt away from Lightning's hurt face.

"Thank you both," Lightning's voice was faint and cracking.

Vanille bit down on her lip fighting tears and trying to keep her hands from shaking as Lightning touched her arm.

You aren't leaving me that easily, Soldier. You're just like Snow. You're too stubborn to die, Vanille smiled at the thought. Lightning was always saying how Snow was too stubborn to die. And now here she was holding on to life, not letting death get to her. This was her Soldier. Her Lightning Farron.